Electric contact snap fastener



Jul 16, 1946. o. J. HUELSTER 2,404,176

ELECTRIC CONTACT SNAP. FASITENER Filed July 15, 1943 A TORNEY Patented July 16, 1946 ELECTRIC CONTACT SNAP FAsT NEn Otto J. Huelster, Waterbury, Conn., 'assignor to Scovill Manufacturing Company, Waterbury; Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application July 15, 1943, Serial No. 494,733

7 Claims. (olive-s63) This invention relates to snapfasteners and particularly one in which an electric contactis incorporated.

electrically the-parts when. in assembled position and always assure a positive electrical connection regardless of any vibrations, strains or tendency to separateto which the fastener connection may be subjected.

. The invention finds one. of its preferred embodiments in connection with aviators uniforms that are provided with electrical'heating elements to supply heat to the. aviator-at high altitudes, this device beingused'to detachably make the electric connection such as between the boots and the adjacent. part of .the garment and also between the glove and the sleeveof the garment or any other parts of the complete uniform that it is desired to electrically connect together. This particular fastener can also be advantageously used wherever any electric wires are desired to be detachably joined to complete and assure an electric circuit. V 7

With the above noted and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangement of parts as will be more fully hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims.

. Referring now to the drawings wherein' Fig. 1 shows a side view of the socket and stud members of the snap fastener device shown in separated state;

Fig. 2 is 'abottom plan view of the socket member;-

Fig. 3 is a view of the socketand stud members in assembled position with the socket member in sectional elevation;

Fig. 4 is. a side view of the contactor spring as it appears before the assembly to: the socket;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the same; Fig. 6 is a side view of a modifiedform. of. a contactor spring separated from the socket, and Fig. 7 is atop plan view of the same. Referring. now to the drawing in. which. like reference numerals designate like parts throughout. the several views, the numeral l0 designates stud member.. The socket. member comprisesv a socket shell l2 having an enlarged hollow rim portion IZa withinwhich is positioned a split spring ring l3. The shell I! is also formed with i 2 a domed portion lZb having an aperture-l4 in its crown portion. Secured within the aperture M of the domed portion is a contactor spider spring I5. Specifically, the contactor spider spring l5-consists of a shoulder portion l5a' which is provided with a central upstanding neck portion l6 terminating in a series of relatively large teeth l'l initially arranged in a cylindrical position.. The neck portion I6 is adapted to be inserted through the aperture I4 to a position where the shoulder portion l5a seats against the adjacent surface of the domed portion I21; and whereupon the teeth ll thereof are formed thereover as a means of rigidly securing the'contactor spring 15 to the socket shell H. The opposite portionof the spider spring I5 is formed into a series of reversely bent spring fingers l3 extending .into the hollowed portionof the .shell dome 12b."

The socket shell 12 with attached'contactor spring I5 in turn is made secure to a disheddisc part 1901. of a wire terminal connector I9 as by means of an assembly eyelet 2!]. The eyelet 20 has a base flanged part 20a which overlies the terminal disc l9 and preferably is covered witha cap member 2| for the purpose of covering the opening in the eyelet and the blunt edge of the eyelet flange 20a. as well as for appearance sake. The opposite end of the eyelet. is adapted to be spun over or upset against the interior of the contactor spring 15 in a manner as shown in Fig.

3 to hold all the parts rigidly secured together.

'50 generally a socket member and the numeral I l a It is to be noted that by reason of the fact that the neck portion of thecontactor spring 15 is made in the form of teeth I! the ends of said teeth after they are bent over into retaining posi-'- tion with the socket shell I2 are so disposed as to be adapted to embed into the interior surface of the dished disc part [9a of the wire terminal connector I!) as a means of providing a better anchorage and electrical contact between said wire terminal connector 19 and the socket contactor spring 15 and also to preclude the terminal connector from turning relative to the socket member I.

24 as by means of a rivet eyelet 25. upset; within the head portion 220i said stud member in the usual manner. I

In-assembling the stud H to the socket ID the stud is; inserted through-an opening 26 in the .rim portion I la; ofzxthe bfketv l2. and. the stud head portion 22 is adapted to snap'past the split ring l3'for detachable interlocking engagement withsaid socket. Under normal circumstances the stud connection with the socket member would be in relative loose manner, and therefore not suitable to conduct an electric current therethrough, but to assure that there will be no electrical break between the socket; and the stud member under all circumstances" the cont'a'ctdr spring I5 is secured into the socket as described above and the spring fingers l8 thereof are adapted to resiliently contact the entering end otthe stud head 22 and thus maintain a positive electrical connection therewith.-

Figs. 6 and 7 Show a modifi'elf form beeeeteeeei spring 30 wherein the neck 3| may be mascara 7 portion, a contactor member having a neck pordrical and spun over about the, aperture: china; 7

socket shell for securing the parts together. V'Ihe spring member 30 has, an intermediate domed" portion 32 providing fora relatively flat shoulder 32a; comparable to :theshoulder" portion; tea; of Figs-z. 4; and 5; The domed portion '32:;terminates in a; flanged: base 33,. and: out of this. base is sheared a; plurality of! spring tongue members three inithis: instance; that are aimed downwardly ouhoti the. planezof th'e contactor base and; adapted to: engage:.-tl iei= leading: end: of; the stud: head a manner; similar: to the spider: coritactcn spring i5 described in.connectionwith:thdpreferred constructionlof the:invention;i c .7 i

In: the; objects it. was stated that thts'fastener would; findtparticular usezin connection with: elec trically heate'dgaviatorsi uniforms-t Inithe-draw 'ingcthefastener" elements: are: showrr unattached 7 to-ianyfsup'porting structure? except: for th'e; wire 57 terminaliconn'ection. I liti isalsoi'within therpreview of this invention tozattachrtherfastcnerielements directlyirto. thatrportion:ofitlieegarmentg that". isi-to be electrically connected to some adjacent. part of the, garment. Thi'sgmay be. readily accomplished; in'rconnection. with: the; socket member t!) by disposingfthesfabricibetweem the: eyelet flange zlizr'and: the; terminal {GEE/11911;: prior to; the: I final assembly-of the assembly; eyeletczfl toiitstrespective shall" l2;; and in: connectionigwith thetstud member the fabric :ma t similarly begdisposedibe'tween the terminal. disc- 2.4a and the: flange of: theistudzeyelet;25:,prior. tOJtheifihaL assembly of said: eyelet to the/stud memberi Hz; 7 o I i. V iwhileftherearei herein described 'and showmin easement; withthe? tion projecting through said aperture,a series of teeth forming the end portion of said neck, said teeth bent overagainst the outer surface of said closed end portion as a means for securing said contactor member to said socket, an apertured wire terminalconnector of domed shape disposed upon the socket clo'sedei-id portion and seated against the" terminal ends of said teeth, a rivet member projecting through said terminal connector aperture and said connector neck and havingoneend upset to anchor said connector and socket together as a unit,and resilient means carried bysaidcont-actor for making an electric en- 1 head end of said stud when in assembled position: a I i 3-. In a; separable electric connector comprising conventional socket and stud members wherein a direct thrust, spring ring means in said socket for snap locking engagement" wi-t hi-said studs said socket: having azilaperturedaclcsed portion; a con;- tactor member having a neck I portion projecting through said aperture and upset against: said closed portion; azwiresterniinali coimectoe surmounted'on sai'dzsocketiclose diportion, .a;ri vet; eye '1et' 'securing:sa:id: connector and? socket.- with? attache'ct ccntacton member. together: as: a unit-and resilient.me'ans -fo'rmedas. a parttofi saidi-contactor formaking: an; electric engagementswith: the head end-i of: said stud when in; assembled osit-ion; 4- c 4: A: separable-electric connector: as; defined: by claim 3 wherein the neckiofifs'aid contactormemben terminates-in a series ofiteetkuthathaireupset over said closediportion' toiinitiallyiiholdethe"socket and contactorimembers together; i g

- 5: A separableelectrii'c Lconne'ctor; seems by claim '3iwhereinlsai'dicontactori member comprises ai-shellhavingimeans fon'attachmentitossaidesocket and terminating'inaa transverse? flanged based-and a'iseriesgof arcuateresilientitonguetmembensstruck outottheffiangedsbase forfniakingiant electric: contacitai vithlv the; headi end; of; said studewhen in assembled; positions a a i ;claim;r3: .whenein":; said; contactor member; com?- the. drawings tw'ciillustrative embodimentm of 1 the V inventicneitllisto be: llil'dei'stdod that: the invention isznotliniitedlth'eretoybutzmay comprehend other constructional; arrangements: and: details of-lpartsz without" departing ifIOml the; spirit of the invention'. i t w a 1 In a separaible electri'c conne'ctoi "comprising conventional socket and stud i meni'berszwherein said' studl is :adapt'ed to'ent'er intoith'e seck'et bwa direct-thrustispring. ringrme'anisinir said socket for snap lockingengagement" with sem stud; said socket havingianapertured closed end'zncrticn-g a .ccntactor member having"aineckiportionrzprpj eat:- ing through said aperture and upset againstisaid closed end portion; and spring r fingers! integral with s'a'id contactor rnember for: resiliently"erig'agi-v ingithe leading endnf saicrstudwhe'iifinassembled position; n 1 V V q a 2? lniazseparab-leeeiectric' corinector comprlsing conventional socket and stud? meh'irbers'z wherein said stud is adapted to enter into the socket:byJaa directthr'ust, s ring rmgfmeans" insaidisocket for removable snap loc'k'ing engagements with said" st'iid said socket having an aiiertufed closed end;

prisesa domed shell nestedswithintheeclosedpore ition; of said socket. and; havinglmeans ifor attach- .mentfto-saidisocket;said contactorsshe ll terminating; in; a: radial: flanged: base; having; scriesiof tongue? jmembersgshearedq out; of saidefia n e and biased downwardly intoa series;ofi:spring;fingers that areadapted to mak'e eleptriciconnectio with the: head; end of; saidstud; when; in gassem-bled V n si qm r a e i 7. A socket member for an electrica tor, saidsocketmemberrcomprisingsa sh said annularipartrseated against the inner face of a the; sh'elliiclcse'd; end with ithe projectinginech of said annular: partafitteiizthrough 'saidappeningt' and upset against: the; opposite face ofcsaid closedend as'a lmeians of attachingcithe; shelliarrdicnrita'ctor together as ancihteg ralgunitg and: springrmeans formedioutiofi'therannular part'rof 'saidacontactor for making electricahc'onnectioniwith the'iieading endiof isaid' studiwhenethe iatt'r iszasisembled to V v i 6 separable electrics. connectoh as M having a closed end With a central aperture and-ansopen 

